I instantly feel lighter after carrying around the weight of this meeting on my shoulders for weeks.
“It was never a question. We were always picking you. I wouldn’t trust my family’s business with anyone else,” Mrs. DeLuca chimes in, which surprises me.
For a long time, I wasn’t sure if she even liked me. She rarely smiles. Her serious mode is turned on at all times.
“Especially over that other woman,” Mr. DeLuca mumbles.
“Oh, I hadn’t realized you were interviewing other candidates.” My face drops. I’m not sure how I feel about that.
“No, no.” He waves his hands dramatically. “We were always working with you. Some woman had just called and called, pestering us. Si, Romeo?”
“Si. She is called Victoria. I don’t recall her surname. I’m sorry.”
“Victoria Palmer?” I ask, already annoyed.
“That’s her name. She said she heard we were looking to sign with someone, and that someone should be her, not you.”
My eyes narrow. That little… She can sod right off.
Romeo’s dark, mysterious eyes sparkle. He can see I’m trying to hold back my anger. “Don’t worry, bella. We told her we are loyal only to you.”
“I appreciate that.” I felt another weight of relief lift off me, but still, this woman needs to stop trying to interfere with my business.
Victoria Palmer is my biggest competitor.
She also happens to be an ex-hook-up of Wills’s, even going so far as to cause issues for Sadie and Wills at one point. Ever since, she’s been bitter and putting in extra effort to be a pain in my arse.
“Where has the time gone? I’m so sorry, my wife and I must call for our car. We are meeting our friends while in London, and we’ll already be late.”
“Oh, please don’t apologize. I’m meeting a co-worker here soon, so it works out perfectly. Again, thank you for signing on with Hughes Agency. I promise you… you won’t regret it, Mr. and Mrs. DeLuca, Romeo.”
Mr. DeLuca shakes his head. “No, No. You don’t call us Mr. and Mrs. anymore. Please, Lorenzo and Luciana.”
I smile warmly at them. “Such beautiful names that sound so lovely together.”
Luciana sports another rare smile. Hmm, maybe she’s warming up to me after all.
“One last thing before we leave,” Lorenzo says. “I almost forgot the most important part.”
“Lorenzo, I doubt anything is more important than working for you.” I laugh.
He smiles and pats my cheek, ignoring my compliment.
“You love Italy, it’s a beautiful place, si?”
“Of course, are you kidding? It’s a dream location.”
“Ah,perfetto. The new job won’t start until September. You will stay in one of our properties for the rest of the summer. As a thank-you for all your hard work.”
What?
They own at least four houses throughout Italy, not counting their private residence. Two in Tuscany, one in Sicily, and one on Lake Como.
I’m shocked into silence. It would be a dream to stay in one of their luxurious homes, but I’ll never be able to make it happen.
We’re inundated with work as it is, and I need to prepare for the DeLuca expansion. So, unfortunately, an extended holiday is not in the cards for me.
A week or two maybe, but the rest of the summer?
